Washington Parish, Louisiana: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Bogalusa and Franklinton
Washington Parish is not a build-out site today. It feels the boom through the grid it shares, the utilities that serve it and the work nearby. Washington Parish is home to Bogalusa and Franklinton. Electrical contractors employ 57, up 50.0% since 2019 against down 2.9% statewide, at an average $44,587 a year. 200 MW of new generation is planned here across 1 unit, led by Entergy Louisiana LLC (solar), the 9th largest pipeline among Louisiana's counties. Next door, St. Tammany Parish has 2 data centers. 500 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly natural gas.
Cities and towns in Washington Parish
Washington Parish is home to Bogalusa and Franklinton.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Rio.
Residents are 2025 Census estimates for the part of each city, town or township inside this county. Census publishes no annual estimate for unincorporated communities.
What changed in Washington Parish
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Louisiana |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 45,358 | 44,937 | ▼ 0.9% | 26th of 64 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 10,416 | 10,962 | ▲ 5.2% | 17th of 64 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $35,511 | $47,297 | ▲ 33.2% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 628 | 588 | ▼ 6.4% | 33rd of 43 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 38 | 57 | ▲ 50.0% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 5.5% | 4.2% | ▼ 1.3pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 500 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 200 MW | 33% of today's fleet | 9th of 14 by size |
Unemployment was 4.2% in August 2026, against 5.5% in 2019. Construction employs 588, down 6.4% since 2019. Its power plants have 599 MW of capacity, 67% of it natural gas. Employers here counted 10,962 jobs in 2025, up 5.2% from 2019. Entergy Louisiana LLC is the largest utility serving Washington Parish, one of 3 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 11.05¢/kWh in 2024, below the 11.88¢ median for Louisiana utilities. 44,937 people live here, down 0.9% since 2020.
Who powers Washington Parish
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +500 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Washington Parish
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Entergy Louisiana LLC | Investor Owned | Bundled | 957,522 | 11.05¢ | 20% |
| Cleco Power LLC | Investor Owned | Bundled | 251,927 | 12.33¢ | 32% |
| Washington-St Tammany E C, Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 50,901 | 11.85¢ | 21% |
Customer counts, prices and sales shares cover each utility's whole system in the state, not only this county. Commercial sales include data centers.
Operating power plants 4
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Natural gas | 400 MW | 67% |
| Solar | 100 MW | 17% |
| Other technologies | 100 MW | 17% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington Parish Energy Center | Entergy Louisiana LLC | Natural gas | 400 MW | 2020 |
| Gaylord Container Bogalusa | Temple-Inland Corp | Other technologies | 100 MW | 1979 |
| Iris Solar LLC | Iris Solar LLC | Solar | 50 MW | 2022 |
| Sunlight Road Solar | Sunlight Road Solar, LLC | Solar | 50 MW | 2024 |
Planned generation 1
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bogalusa West Solar Station | Solar Photovoltaic | 200 MW | Planned, approvals not started | 2028 | Entergy Louisiana LLC |
The Washington Parish labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 10,962 | $47,297 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 588 | $57,178 | 1.01 |
| Electrical contractors | 57 | $44,587 | 0.72 |
Concentration is the BLS location quotient: 1.0 means the industry holds the same share of local jobs as it does nationally. Industry rows count private employers; cells BLS suppresses are left out.
Data centers and local rules in Washington Parish
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Washington Parish. Louisiana has 3 local measures on record statewide.
Washington Parish and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Washington Parish, St. Tammany Parish carries the most build-out activity: data centers, planned generation and operating plants combined.
| County | Population | Jobs since 2019 | Operating MW | Planned MW | Data centers | Local measures |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington Parish | 44,937 | ▲ 5.2% | 599 MW | 200 MW | — | — |
| Marion County MS | 24,001 | ▲ 6.6% | — | — | — | — |
| Pearl River County MS | 59,363 | ▲ 10.0% | — | — | — | — |
| Pike County MS | 38,712 | ▼ 0.4% | — | — | — | — |
| St. Tammany Parish | 279,108 | ▲ 8.2% | — | — | 2 | — |
| Tangipahoa Parish | 141,346 | ▲ 7.7% | 100 MW | — | — | — |
| Walthall County MS | 13,928 | ▼ 0.7% | 2 MW | — | — | — |
More of Louisiana
Washington Parish, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Washington Parish, Louisiana?
3 utilities have service territory in Washington Parish in the EIA-861 2024 report: Entergy Louisiana LLC, Cleco Power LLC, Washington-St Tammany E C, Inc. The largest, Entergy Louisiana LLC, charged residential customers 11.05¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Bogalusa, LA in?
Bogalusa is in Washington Parish, Louisiana. About 10,321 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Washington Parish?
4 operating plants with 599 MW of capacity. The largest is Washington Parish Energy Center (400 MW, natural gas).
How much new power is planned in Washington Parish?
200 MW across 1 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 0 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is Entergy Louisiana LLC.
Are there data centers in Washington Parish?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Washington Parish. The nearest activity on record is next door in St. Tammany Parish.
Is Washington Parish adding jobs?
Employers counted 10,962 jobs in 2025 against 10,416 in 2019 (+5.2%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 628 to 588.
Does Washington Parish have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Washington Parish. Louisiana has 3 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.